Special Logic of the Holy Qur'an Regarding the Question of Human Compulsion and Liberty

Special Logic of the Holy Qur'an Regarding the Question of Human Compulsion and Liberty
by Martyr Ayatullah Murtada Mutahhari
We previously said that the Muslim theologians started discussing and analyzing the question of human compulsion and liberty in the second half of the first century of the Hijri era. This question is the oldest scholastic problem. Somehow the scholastic theologians could not analyze the question correctly with the result that they deviated from the right path. Some of them supported the theory of predestination and others that of absolute human liberty. To the Muslim masses a belief in destiny meant predestination. They considered belief in human liberty to be tantamount to the negation of destiny. A simultaneous belief in destiny and liberty, though it was acceptable to the clear conscience of the early Muslims, lost its popularity once it took on a philosophical colour. Even now after a lapse of 14 centuries it does not find favour with the Muslim masses, though the Holy Qur’an, the hadiths of the Holy Prophet and the sayings of the Holy Imams clearly say that everything is governed by the destiny ordained by Allah, and at the same time describe man as an effective factor in making or marring his fortune. They hold him responsible for all his actions. We have in the foregoing quoted some of the Qur’anic verses dealing with these points. As we have pointed out, the predestinarians have tried to explain away the verses indicating human freedom and the supporters of absolute liberty have tried to explain away the verses indicating that everything is divinely ordained. As we have seen actually there is no inconsistency between these two sets of verses. The riddle stands solved. The comprehensiveness of destiny does not necessarily mean that there is no such thing as destiny. As such the question of any contradiction between destiny and human volition does not arise, and there is no need to explain away anything.
For example the Qur’an says that it is Allah who guides the people to the right or the wrong path, who bestows on them honour, power and health and who provides them with the means of living: Even the virtue and the vice both have been ascribed to His Will.
The Holy Qur’an says: “It is Allah to leave in error whom He will and to guide whom He pleases. He is the Mighty, the Wise”. (Surah Ibrahim, 14:4)
“Say: O Allah! Owner of Sovereignty! You bestow sovereignty on whomever you will and you withdraw sovereignty from whomever you will. You exalt whomever you will and you abase whom you will. In Your hand is all that is good. No doubt you have power to do everything”. (Surah Aale Imran, 3:26)
“Surely Allah is the provider of everything and the possessor of Mighty Power”. (Surah al-Zariyat, 51:58)
“In the heaven is your providence and that which you are promised”. (Surah al-Zariyat, 51:22)
The Holy Qur’an quotes Ibrahim as having said: “He gives me food and drink. If I fall sick, He cures me. He will cause me to die, and will bring me back to life”. (Surah al-Shu’ara’, 26:79 – 81)
About the happy and the evil things the Qur’an says: “Say: Everything is from Allah”. (Surah al-Nisa, 4:78)
But these verses do not deny the intervention of the natural causes. Hence there is no contradiction between them and the other verses which clearly show that it is man himself who chooses the right or the right or the wrong path, acquires power and honour, and earns his livelihood.
For example, the Qur’an says: As for Thamud, We showed them the right path, but they preferred blindness to guidance, consequently they were bit by the humiliating punishment of a dreadful noise which they deserved because of their misdeeds”. (Surah Fussilat, 41:17)
Referring to the downfall of Pharaoh’s gang, the Holy Qur’an says: “That is because Allah does not withdraw the favour He has bestowed on any people unless they first change what is in their hearts, and that is because Allah is Hearer, Knower”. (Surah al-Anfal, 8:53)
Criticizing the predestinarian belief of the pagan Arabs, the Holy Qur’an says: “When it is said to them: Give in charity out of what Allah has provided you, the disbelievers say to those who believe: Are we to feed those whom Allah would feed if He willed? Surely you are in a clear error”. (Surah Yasin, 36:47)
Again the Holy Qur’an says: “Corruption has become rife in land and sea because of the misdeeds of the people”. (Surah al-Rum, 30:41)
The fact is, as already pointed out, that Allah’s Will, His Knowledge and His Decrees do not nullify the system of causation. Actually this whole infinite system springs from His Will and Knowledge and its effectiveness means the effectiveness of His Will.
On this basis it is wrong to say which act is Allah’s and which is not His. Such a division is meaningless. If an act has been ascribed to some other being, it cannot be said that it is not Allah’s. The division of work between the Creator and the created is wrong. Any act of a doer is that of Allah also.
There is a hadith in the Tuhaf-ul-Uqul, which appears to be a letter written by Imam Hadi (a), the tenth Imam, to some of his supporters in Ahwaz (Iran) on the doctrines of predestination, absolute discretion and justice. In this letter he writes:
“A person asked Imam Ali (a) whether man has power and ability or he lacks them. If he has the power to do things, then how is it possible to say that there is no power nor help but from Allah?”
From the wording of the hadith it appears that the questioner believed that man had the power and ability to do things, Hence he was unable to understand how the question of Allah’s Will and Divine Decree could fit in.
In reply the Imam said to him: “You asked about ability. Do you have this ability with Allah or without Him!” The questioner was baffled. The Imam said: “If you assert that you and Allah share this ability and power, I would put you to death (because you would be claiming to be a co-partner of Allah). If you say that you have this ability without Allah, again I would put you to death (because you would be presuming that you are independent of Allah. Such a presumptions again infidelity, for independence in any affair means independence in essence).
“The questioner said: Then what should I say?”
The Imam (a) said: “You have ability by the Will of Allah, while He has it independently. If He endows you with it, that is His favour. If He takes it away from you, that means He is testing you. In any case, you should remember that whatever He bestows on you, He is still its owner. If He enables you to do a thing, that thing is still within His power”.
In short, this hadith indicates that while an effect is ascribed to its cause, it is attributable to Allah also. When we ascribe an act to its normal and natural doer, we ascribe it to its non-self-existing agent, and when we attribute it to Allah, we ascribe it to its self-existing agent. It is Allah who endows things with the power and quality of producing an effect. It is He who bestows the ownership of anything on anyone. But there is one basic difference between the bestowal of ownership by Allah and the transfer of ownership by a man. After a man has transferred the ownership of a thing, it is no longer his property. But Allah continues to be the owner of a thing even after He has bestowed it on anyone else. His bestowal is not inconsistent with His continued ownership. It is only a manifestation of His being the owner. Similarly Allah endows things with the quality of producing an effect, and at the same time He is the Master of all effects. There are many other hadiths which support this view.
Reference: ImamReza.net

Compulsion or Freedom

Compulsion or Freedom
By Sayyed Saeed Akhtar Rizvi
The most vital difference amongst the Muslim sects; is the question of compulsion or freedom of man in his actions.
There are four groups:
1. The Mu'tazilah say that man is completely free to do whatever he wished, and that Cod has no power over his actions at all. This view is known as tafwiz delegation of power by God to man. This group is also known as Qadariyyah.
2. The Mujabbirah (also known as Jabriyyah) say that "man has no power over any of his actions. He is a tool in the hands of Allah like pen in our hand." This view is known as jabr-compulsion.
3. The Asha'irah say that man has no power or will of his own in his actions; but he still 'earns' or "acquires" the action. The term they use to describe their belief is kasb which literally means to earn, to acquire. What they actually mean is a riddle.
4. The Shi'ah Ithna-'Asharis says that man is neither completely independent of Allah nor compelled by Allah, but the actual position is between these two extremes. The Shi'ite belief is known as al-amr bayna '1-amrayn. This will be explained later on.
It will be seen that the theories of Mu'tazilah, the Mujabbirah and the Shi'ah are easily understood for what they stand. But the Ashairah's theory of kasb is as incomprehensible as the Christians' belief of three-in-one god. it is clear that they have used the term kasb as a mask to hide their actual belief which is completely identical to the Mujabbirah's belief of compulsion.
'Allamah Shibli Nu'mani, a famous Sunni scholar of India, says, "Those who were bold enough, openly adopted the belief in compulsion and came to be known as Jabriyyah. Those who were hesitent to use the word jabr, used the guise of 'kasb' and 'iradah'. This guise was invented by Abu '1-Hasan al-Ash'ari." I, therefore, will treat both the Jabriyyah and the Asha'irah as one.
And as the present days' Sunnis are all Asha'irah and as the topic under discussion is of vital importanca, I propose to deal with it in some detail.
THE SUNNIS' BELIEF
The position of the Sunnis in this respect has been explained by Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali as follows: 'No act of any individual even though it is earned (kasb) by him, is independent of the will of Allah for its existence; and there does not occur in either the physical or the extra-terrestrial world the wink of an eye, the hind of a thought, or the most sudden glance, except by the decree of Allah, of His power, desire and will. This includes evil and good, benefit and harm, success and failure sin and righteousness, obedience and disobedience, polytheism and true belief."
It will not be out of place to mention that this belief was invented by, and under the influence of, Banu Umayyah to provide a respectable mask to their debauchery and tyranny As 'Allamah Shibli Nu'mani has admitted in his book 'Ilmu'l-Kalam:
"Although all the causes were present which were responsible for the differences in faith, yet the political differences started the ball rolling. The reign of Banu Umayyah was full of cruelty and bloodshed; and in reaction to that there was a Spirit of revolt among the common people. But the well-wishers of the government always silenced the people by saying that 'whatever happens takes place according to the will of Almighty, and as such people should not raise their voice at all. Everything was destined beforehand; and whatever happens, good or bad, happens according to the will of Allah; and we should bow down to that."
I think this disclosure-that the idea of jabr (and its disguised version known as 'kasb') was nothing but a weapon of tyrant rulers to subdue the oppressed masses-is more than enough to discredit this belief.
THE SHI'ITE BELIEF
1. Al-Amr Bayna '1-Amrayn
The Shi'ah Ithna-'Asharis, on the other hand, say that we know the difference between falling down from a roof-top and coming down by ladders. The second act is done by our own power, will and intention; while the falling down is not so. And we know that our actions are not like falling down from the roof-top; instead they are like coming down the ladder with out own will and power Therefore, what we do are our own actions and should not be attributed solely to Allah.
Again, we see that there are some of our actions for which we are either praised or blamed, while for other happenings we are neither praised nor condemned. It clearly shows that the first category is within our power and will, and the second category is beyond our wll and power. For example, we may be advised to treat an ailment in this or that way, but we cannot be advised to recover from the illness. It means that getting treatment is within our power, but getting well is not within the sphere of our activities.
Therefore, we say that there are many things and aspects of life which are within our power and will, while some others are not within our power, Those things for which we can be advised praised or blamed, are within our power and will. And the commandments of religion (the Shariah)' come under this category, because we have been advised or ordered to do this and not to do that, and because we are praised when we obey those commands and blamed when we disobey them. Therefore, it is absolutely wrong to say that our sins and righteousness, our obedience and disobedience, our true beliefs and wrong belief are by decree of Allah and His desire and will.
Shaykh as-Saduq says, "Allah possesses foreknowledge of human actions, but does not compel them to act in any particular manner"
But neither does this mean that man is completely independent of Allah. In fact, the power and will to act as we like is given to us by Allah. Thus Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said, "There is no compulsion (by Allah), nor is there absolute delegation of power (from Allah to man); but the real position is between these two extremes, al-amr bayna '1-amryan.
The following example clearly portrays this "middle position". Suppose a man's hand is totally paralysed to an extent that he cannot move even a finger A doctor has fitted an electrical device on his hand which, on being switched on, enables the man to use his hand freely in a normal way. The device is activated by a remote control which the doctor keeps in his own custody. When the doctor switches the device on, the man uses his hand in any way he intends, but when the device is off, he cannot do nothing. Now if the device is on and the patient does any work, can that work be attributed independently to him? No because the power comes from that device which is fully controlled by the doctor, Then can it be attributed to the doctor? No, because the man had done it by his own free will and choice. This is exactly the position of our activities. We are not under compulsion because the will and choice is ours; nor are we completely independent, because the power to do whatever we intend to do comes from God.'
And at what point does our ability to do things start? Imam Musa al-Kazim (peace be upon him) said, "A man acquires that ability when four conditions are fulfilled:1. when there is nothing to hinder his plans; 2. his health , 3. the faculties (needed for that work) are up to the required standard; and 4. Allah provides him the occasion of that work. When all these conditions are fulfilled, a man becomes capable of acting according to his own free will."
When asked for an example, the Imam said, "Let us suppose that there is a man, without any hindrance, of good health and proper strength; yet he cannot commit adultery unless he finds a woman. When he gets a woman (and the fourth condition is fulfilled), then it is up to him to choose one of the two alternatives: either he controls his evil emotions and saves himself as (Prophet) Yusuf did, or he commits adultery. If he protects himself from that sin, it will not be by compulsion of Allah (as some people think). And if he commits the sin, it does not mean that he was above the power of Allah (as others think)."
2. Predestination & the Day of Judgement
According to our point of view, if any one believes in predestination, then he cannot at the same time believe in the day of judgement (qiyamat). If Allah decrees every act which is done by us, then why should He inflict punishment upon us for those sins, evils and transgressions, for polytheism, disbelief and immoralities which He Himself predestined for us. It will be gross injustice.
Here is a talk of Imam Musa al-Kazim (peace be upon him) in his childhood with Imam Abu Hanifah, the founder of the Hanafi school of Sunni laws:-Abu Hanifah once went to meet Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (peace be upon him).
The Imam was inside his house and Abu Hanifah was waiting for him to come out. In the meantime, a small child came out and Abu Hanifah, just to pass some time, asked him, "0 child, from whom is the action of man?" The child at once said, "0 Abu Hanifah, there are only three imaginable sources:
either the man himself is the originator of his action; or God is the doer of that action; or both together are the originators of that action. Now if God is the doer of the actions of man, then why does He inflict punishment on man for the sins? Is it not injustice (zulm)? And Allah says, "Verily Allah is not unjust to His creatures." And if both man and God are partners in that crime, then is it not gross injustice that the powerful partner (i.e., Cod) punishes the weaker partner (i.e., man) for an action which both of them performed together? And as these two alternatives are proved to be illogical and impossible, the third theory is proved to be correct that man does his actions by his own power and will."I
Abu Hanifah kissed the forehead of the child. That child was Musa, later known as al-Kazim, the seventh Imam of the Shi'ahs.
3. Abu Hanifah' & Bahlul.
Imam Abu Hanifah, of course, believed that man does nothing by his own will apd power inspite of the clever and logical discourse 'Of Imam Musa al-Kizim, mentioned above, he did not change his belief. Once his heory led to a tragi-comic event.
Bahlul means wise and chief. It was the name of a famous companion of Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq who lived up to the last days of Imam 'Ali an-Naqi and saw Imam Hasan al-'Askari also. As a twist of fate, he is commonly referred to as Bahlul 'Majnun' (Bahlul, the lunatic). This is so because he pretended to be insane in order to save himself from the responsibilities of judgeship offered to him by the Caliph Harun ar-Rashid. But, wise as he was, he took advantage of his supposed lunacy and always censured great people of his time (including the kings) for their short-comings.
Once he heard Imam Abu Hanifah (who lived in Kufa) telling his disciples that," I have heard three things from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq which I think are wrong." The disciples asked what those things were. Imam Abu Hanifah said:
"First of all, Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq says that Allah cannot be seen. But it is wrong. If a thing does exist, then it must be seen. Secondly, he says that Satan will be punished in Hell. But it is absurd. Because Satan was created from fire: how can fire do any harm to a thing or person made of fire?
Thirdly, he says that a man's action is done by his will and power, and that he is responsible for it. But it is wrong because all the actions of man are done by Allah's will and power, and Allah is, actually, responsible for it."
The disciples' applaud had just begun when Bahlull took a lump of clay and sent it hurtling towards Abu Hanifah. It hit him on the forehead, he cried in anguish and pain. The disciples caught Bahlul, and Abu Hanifah took him to the judge.
The judge heard the complaint and asked Bahlul whether the allegation was true.
Bahlul: "0 Judge! Imam Abu Hanifah alleges that he is suffering from a searing pain in his head because of the clay which hit him. But I think he is lying. I cannot believe him until I see the pain."
Abu Hanifah: "You really are mad! How can I show you the pain? Has anybody ever seen a pain?"
Bahlull: "But 0 Judge, he was just teaching his disciples that if a thing does exist, then it must be seen. As he cannot show the pain, I submit that according to his own belief, he is not suffering from any pain at all"
Abu Hanifah: "Oh! my head is splitting because of the pain."
Bahlul: "0 Judge, there is another matter which I just remembered. He was also telling his disciples that as Satan is made of fire, the fire of Hell cannot do him any harm. Now man is made of clay, as the Qur'an says, and it was a lump of clay which hit him. I wonder how can he claim that a lump of Clay did harm to a man made of clay?"
Abu Hanifah: "0 Judge! Bahlul wants to go Scot free by his verbosity. Please, take my revenge from him."
Bahlul: "0 Judge, I think lmam Abu Hanifah has very wrongfully brought me in this court. He was just teaching his disciples that all the actions of man are done by Allah, and that Allah is responsible for those actions. Now, why did he bring me here? if he really is suffering from the effect of that lump of clay, he should file suit against Allah who did hit him with that clay. Why should a poor harmless person like me be brought to the court.
When all I am supposed to do was in fact done by Allah?"
The judge acquitted Bahlul.
Reference: ImamReza.net

Free Will and Fatalism

INTRODUCTION:
This article deals with the perplexing issues of Free Will and Fatalism.
Both viewpoints, the Sunnis's and Shia's, will be presented, as the purpose
is to be as fair and objective as possible. This is a VERY sensitive
subject, and needs a lot of attention. I will NOT cover every detail such
that I am not qualified, nor do I have all the resources. Nonetheless, I
will cover as much as is necessary for you to understand your
responsibility before Allah (SWT).
Now, to get to the topic at hand, I will start with what the Sunnis
believe, and then state what the Shia believe. This peace is taken from Dr.
al-Tijani's second book "Ma'ah al- Sadeeqeen -- With the Truthful Ones
(1989)", pp 133-148. I have quoted him where appropriate, and added
my own remarks elsewhere. Please refer to those pages for consultation, as
well as the books of history, hadith, and philosophy.
FREE WILL AND FATALISM:
Dr. al-Tijani starts out by expressing his own experience with the concepts
of Free Will (Qadariyyah) and Fatalism (Jabriyah). He was always baffled,
as I was, by what the Sunni scholars preach in sermons and by what their
books state about EVERYTHING being the Will of Allah (SWT): Drinking wine
is the Will of Allah (SWT), sleeping, killing, evil, adultery, marriage,
knowledge, health, accidental death, and even whether you end up in hell or
heaven was judged before you were born! How can that be? How can Allah
(SWT) state in the Quran:
"Allah is never unjust in the least degree: If there is any good
(done), he doubleth it, and giveth from His Own Self a great reward.
[4:40]"
Then Allah (SWT) states:
"Whoever works righteousness benefits his own soul; whoever works
evil, it is against his own soul: Nor is thy Lord ever unjust (in the
least) to His servants. [41:46]"
Again, among many other places, Allah (SWT) asserts:
"Verily Allah will NOT deal unjustly with man in aught: It is man that
wrongs his own soul (and other souls). [10:44]"
How can these verses be reconciled with what the Sunnis preach? It is
either that Allah (SWT) is right, and the scholars are wrong, or vice
versa? Of course, for the believer, the answer to that question is quite
obvious. However, the Quran also states:
"But ye will not, except as Allah wills; for Allah is full of
Knowledge and Wisdom. [76:30]"
And Allah (SWT) states:
"...For Allah leaves to stray whom He wills, and guides whom He
wills...[35:8]"
What kind of contradiction is this? Exalted be Allah (SWT) from
contradicting Himself. It is this kind of mental torture and struggle that
I went through every day: On the one hand, Allah (SWT) asserts His (SWT)
Justice, yet on the other He (SWT) asserts His (SWT) Will to do as He (SWT)
pleases because He (SWT) is the Creator (SWT). Note that I agree with Dr.
al-Tijani regarding this mental struggle, and I have seen how it is
destroying the fabric of our society, especially the youth.
Dr. al-Tijani continues: I was not alone in this struggle, and that's why
many scholars and sheiks when asked about Qada Wa Qadr (Destiny), they
simply brush off the subject and say that it is not for us to decide this
matter. Then the scholars state that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) said that we
must believe in Qada Wa Qadr whether it is good or bad. Now, if an
inquiring mind asked those scholars how can Allah (SWT) force someone to
commit adultery, for example, and then condemn him to hell, they would
claim that the questioner is a disbeliever that has abandoned his religion!
It is this kind of avoidance of the crucial issues in one's existence and
religion that has fostered intellectual decay in the Ummah of Muhammad
(PBUH&HF).
THE SUNNIS AND THE QUESTION OF DESTINY:
Dr. al-Tijani narrates a brief encounter with a Sunni scholar that asserts
that EVERYTHING is the will of Allah (SWT). So Dr. al-Tijani countered his
argument with the following: First, marriage is NOT the Will of Allah (SWT)
because Allah (SWT) says:
".....Marry women of YOUR CHOICE.....[4:3]"
Second, divorce is NOT "written -- i.e., not the Will of Allah (SWT)"
either:
"A divorce is only permissible twice; after that, the parties should
either hold together on equitable terms, or separate with
kindness....[2:229]"
That is, the parties are AT LIBERTY to separate or maintain a relationship;
they are NOT forced or coerced. Third, adultery is NOT the Will of Allah
(SWT) either:
"Nor come nigh to adultery: For it is an indecent (deed) and an evil
way. [17:32]"
You are AT LIBERTY to commit or refrain from adultery. Fourth, drinking
alcohol is also NOT the Will of Allah (SWT):
"Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with
intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of
Allah, and from prayer: Will ye not then abstain? [5:91]"
You are AT LIBERTY to abstain. Fifth, as for killing a human being, it is
also NOT the Will of Allah (SWT), for Allah (SWT) says:
"If a man kills a believer INTENTIONALLY, his recompense is Hell, to
abide therein (for ever); and the wrath and curse of Allah are upon
him, and a dreadful chastisement is prepared for him. [4:93]"
Again, Allah (SWT) says:
"....TAKE NOT LIFE, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of
justice and law: Thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom.
[6:151]"
Your freedom in these matters is most apparent. Sixth, as for eating and
drinking, they are also NOT the Will of Allah (SWT), for Allah (SWT) said:
".....eat and drink, but waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the
wasters. [7:31]"
You are AT LIBERTY to eat or not to eat, to drink or not to drink, and to
waste or not to waste. Dr. al-Tijani said to the scholar: "How, then, can
you claim that EVERYTHING is the Will of Allah (SWT), when the Quran is
clear about that matter?"
The scholar answered that Allah (SWT) does whatever He (SWT) pleases, as
the Quran states:
"Say: O Allah! Lord of Power (and Rule), thou givest Power to whom
thou pleasest, and thou strippest off power from whom thou pleasest:
Thou enduest with honour whom thou pleasest, and thou bringest low
whom thou pleasest: In Thy hand is all Good. Verily, over all things
thou hast power. [3:26]"
Dr. al-Tijani answered: "We are not quarreling about whether Allah (SWT)
CAN do whatever He (SWT) wishes or not; we are debating whether or not
Allah (SWT) FORCES people to do things, and then punishes them for it?"
The scholar answered: "You have your religion, and I have mine!" and the
discussion was over.
Two days later, Dr. al-Tijani returned and said: "So if your belief is that
Allah (SWT) executes EVERYTHING, and His (SWT) servants have NO choice
whatsoever in the matter, why, then, don't you apply the same reasoning to
the matter of the Caliphate; and [surrender to the point] that Allah (SWT)
chooses whomever He (SWT) wishes?" The point that Dr. al- Tijani is trying
to drive across concerns the belief by the Shia that al-Imam Ali (AS) was
chosen by Allah (SWT) to be the successor to the Prophet (PBUH&HF).
The scholar said: "YES! I do believe that; because Allah (SWT) has chosen
Abu Bakr, then `Umar, then `Uthman, and then Ali (AS)."
Dr. al-Tijani said: "Now you have fallen in the trap of your own logic!"
The scholar said: "How so?"
Dr. al-Tijani said: "Either you say [and believe] that Allah (SWT) has
chosen the first four Caliphs, and then left the matter for the people to
decide upon. Or you say [and believe] that Allah (SWT) has not left the
matter of the Caliphate for the people to decide upon; and it is He (SWT)
Who chooses ALL the successors [of the Prophet (PBUH&HF)] from the day of
his (PBUH&HF) death till the Day of Judgment?"
The scholar answered by quoting the Quran:
"Say: O Allah! Lord of Power (and Rule), thou givest Power to whom
thou pleasest, and thou strippest off power from whom thou pleasest:
Thou enduest with honour whom thou pleasest, and thou bringest low
whom thou pleasest: In Thy hand is all Good. Verily, over all things
thou hast power. [3:26]"
Dr. al-Tijani contended: "So you believe that EVERY King or Leader, whether
now or in the past, who has fought against Islam has been appointed by
Allah (SWT)?"
He (the scholar) said: "Yes! No doubt about it!"
Dr. al-Tijani said: "Subhan Allah (SWT) -- Vindicated from ALL
Impurities/Imperfections Be Allah! How, then, do you defend the Sunnis in
their contention that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) died and left the matter for
THE PEOPLE TO DECIDE?"
The scholar said: "Yes, I do believe that, and I will continue to believe
it (forever), In Sha' Allah (SWT) -- Allah Willing!"
Dr. al-Tijani said: "How do reconcile Allah's (SWT) Will with that of the
people?"
The scholar said: "Since the Muslims chose Abu Bakr, that means that Allah
(SWT) has chosen him!"
Dr. al-Tijani said: "How did the Muslims know that Allah (SWT) wanted Abu
Bakr?"
The scholar said: "Because if Allah (SWT) wanted anybody else, neither the
Muslims nor the scholars would be able to prevent what Allah (SWT) wanted!"
At this stage, Dr. al-Tijani realized the futility of conversing with such
men; and that if we abide by what these people say, we will never be able
to forward a veritable scientific or philosophical theory or contention.
(Note that I have skipped some of the dialogue between Dr. al- Tijani and
the scholar for purposes of maintaining the attention span of the reader.
However, the parts I skipped in NO WAY affect the clarity or message of the
conversation.)
It is this kind of attitude that has destroyed the youth and the
intellectual curiosity among humanity in general. For if we believe as
this scholar believes, then we will never accomplish anything! Why? Because
if we abide by the above fatalist approach, we would genuinely believe that
the current state of the Ummah is what Allah (SWT) wants, and the
massacring of Muslims is what Allah (SWT) wants, and the ignorance that
prevails, and to fail on an exam at school, and to have a car accident are
ALL the Will of Allah (SWT); and, as such, we cannot change anything until
Allah (SWT) wants, so let's sit and wait while the nonbelievers have
invaded outer space and reached the other planets!!! This is exactly what
the enemies of Islam want!
Dr. al-Tijani traces this concept of Fatalism to the Ummayads, who were the
clan of `Uthman Ibn `Afan, the third caliph. He states that during these
days, when `Uthman was caliph, and due to his corruption in politics and
government, the Muslims requested that he step down from the leadership of
the Ummah. `Uthman replied:
"I shall not undress a shirt which has been clothed on me by Allah."
The "shirt" here refers to the leadership of the Muslims; and the opinion
of `Uthman that Allah (SWT) is the One (SWT) Who clothed him the shirt,
indicates that it is the Will of Allah (SWT) that `Uthman is the caliph.
And that the "shirt" shall only be undressed as a consequence of `Uthman's
death (i.e., when he dies.). We also find the same attitude from Muawiyah,
who is a relative of `Uthman, at a later point in time. For Muawiyah had
said, as Ibn Kathir narrates in v8, p131:
"I didn't fight you to pray, fast, and pay charity, but rather to
become your leader and control you, and Allah (SWT) has given me that,
even if you dislike it!"
This is an indication that he never cared about any of Islam's mandates,
nor Allah's (SWT) orders; rather his war was politically motivated to gain
control of the region and become the appointed leader. Again, Muawiyah has
claimed that he is the leader of the Ummah because Allah (SWT) has made him
so. However, Muawiyah's claim is more far-reaching [and damaging] than that
of `Uthman; for Muawiyah's claim lends credibility to the evil contention
that Allah (SWT) has aided and abetted him (Muawiyah) in killing [innocent]
Muslims. Allahu Akbar! (Allah is Great

THE SHIA AND THE QUESTION OF DESTINY:
Now, for the Shia's opinion on Free Will and Fatalism:
Dr. al-Tijani has met with the Great Scholars of the Twelver Shi'ite in
Iraq. Among those he talked to are: The Martyr Muhammad Baqr al-Sadr, al-
Khoie, Muhammad Ali al-Tabatabai, al- Hakim, and many others (May Allah
(SWT) have mercy on those that have passed away, and on those that remain).
Dr. al-Tijani narrates what these great scholars explained to him:
When al-Imam Ali (AS) was asked about Free Will and Fatalism, he (AS) said:
(NOTE: This is a VERY hard quote to translate; thus, this translation is
ROUGH at best, but it does convey the point):
"Woe to you! Did you think that it was a mandatory destiny, and a
final will? If it was as such, then reward and punishment would have
no value, and admonition and exhortation would totally fail! Allah
(SWT) has ordered His (SWT) servants to obey Him (SWT) voluntarily,
and asked them to cease doing evil as a warning to them (from
punishment); and He (SWT) has ordained easy (simple) things in
religion, and He (SWT) has not ordained difficult (hard) duties. He
(SWT) has given for the small amount of good deeds you do, a great
reward; and He (SWT) is never disobeyed as a sign of His (SWT) defeat
(or lack of power and ability); and He (SWT) is not obeyed [or
worshipped] through coercion and force, rather voluntarily. He (SWT)
has not sent Prophets and Messengers as part of a game He (SWT) is
playing; nor did He (SWT) send down the Books (revealed scripture) for
no reason. And He (SWT) did not create the Heavens and the Earths as
a falsehood (triviality); That, indeed, is the belief of the
nonbelievers: Woe to the nonbelievers from the hellfire..."
NOTE: The latter part of the speech: "That, indeed, is the belief of the
nonbelievers: Woe to the nonbelievers from the hellfire......" is a verse
from the Quran that al-Imam Ali (AS) concluded with.
Dr. al-Tijani, when he first heard this, was filled with joy to know that
it is HE who controls his actions, and it is HE who is responsible for
doing good deeds to enter heaven. And it is not, as the Sunni scholars
claim, the Will of Allah (SWT) for him to enter hell.
Dr. al-Tijani says: al-Imam Ali (AS) struck the nail on the head when he
(AS) said: "...and He (SWT) is never disobeyed as a sign of His (SWT)
defeat (or lack of power and ability);..." For if Allah (SWT) wanted to
force ANYBODY into doing something, NOTHING can stop Him (SWT). Rather it
is a corroboration by al- Imam Ali (AS) to what Allah (SWT) said:
"Say, `The Truth is from your Lord` Let him who will, believe (it);
and let him who will, reject (it)...[18:29]"
Then al-Imam Ali (AS) strikes the inner workings of the mind and
consciousness by asserting that if EVERYTHING was the Will of Allah (SWT),
then the function of the Prophets and Messengers would be a total waste of
time. Again, if EVERYTHING was the Will of Allah (SWT), Revealed Scripture
would have no value either; this would clearly violate the verses of the
Quran:
"Verily this Quran doth guide to that which is most right (or stable),
and giveth the glad tidings to the believers who work deeds of
righteousness, that they shall have a magnificent reward. [17:9]"
So the Quran IS a book that guides people (which means that It was revealed
for the purpose of guiding mankind), and the believers are AT LIBERTY to
"...work deeds of righteousness..."
The contention is that if EVERYTHING was the Will of Allah (SWT), why would
Allah (SWT) send Messengers to warn us, when He (SWT) has already judged
us? What good is it to do any kind of deeds (good or bad), when the
judgment for these deeds has already been rendered, regardless of what you
do?
We have seen many sects in Islam that have either said: EVERYTHING is the
Will of Allah (SWT) --This is Jabriyyah; or those who said: EVERYTHING is
Free Will --This is Qadariyyah. Both views are wrong, because they are not
realistic. Can you control to which parents you are born to, for example?
Or is it realistic to believe that Allah (SWT) FORCES you to drink alcohol,
and then punishes you for it? The answer to both questions is: OBVIOUSLY
NOT!
The Shia, however, have struck it right: al-Imam Ja'far al- Sadiq (AS)
said:
"It is not TOTAL Free Will, nor is it TOTAL Fatalism; rather, it is a
matter between [those] two matters."
When a man asked al-Imam al-Sadiq (AS) what he (AS) meant by the above
quote, al-Imam al-Sadiq (AS) answered: "To walk on the ground is not the
same as to fall on it!" What a response!!! (My comment
Here's what it
means: You walk on the ground voluntarily, but it may happen to you that
you fall because something unexpected happened to you (for instance, some
body hit you from the back). Who among you wants to fall on the ground on
purpose? Such is the wisdom of the Imams, the progeny of the Seal of
Prophecy (PBUH&HF). So Qada Wa Qadr is a matter between two matters: Some
things we can control, and others we can't; it is a mixture of Free Will
and Allah's (SWT) Will.
This belief is closer to reason than what all the other schools say.
Moreover, a human being is ONLY liable for that which he has a will [and
control] over; and Allah (SWT) will judge him on those deeds that he
voluntarily committed, NOT the ones that he has no control over. Allah
(SWT) says:
"By the soul, and the proportion and order given to it; and its
inspiration as to its wrong and its right;-- Truly he succeeds that
purifies it, and he fails that corrupts it. [91:7-10]"
Indeed, he who purifies his soul is destined to succeed, and he who
corrupts it is destined to failure. That is where your choice comes in.
Again, things like the operation of the Universe, the movement of the
planets, ones own sex at birth, one's color of skin, one's parents, and so
on, we have no will or control over, and we will NOT be held responsible
for; but whether or not to be believers, killers, hypocrites, commit
adultery, feed our children, and so on, we do have control over, and we
WILL be held accountable for them.
As a conclusion to the matter, and a final display of the superior
knowledge of the Imams, I quote the following: al-Imam Ali Ibn Musa al-Rida
(AS), the Eighth Imam, was 14 years old when he (AS) was asked about what
al- Imam al-Sadiq (AS) meant by "a matter between [those] two matters?" At
14 years of age, al-Imam Ali Ibn Musa al-Rida (AS) said:
"He who says that Allah (SWT) FORCES us to do our actions, subscribes
to the school of Fatalism (Jabriyyah). He who says that Allah (SWT)
has left the matter of birth, creation, and wealth to the Hujjahs,
subscribes to the school of Free Will (Qadariyyah)."
[NOTE: Hujjah means "Proof." It includes Prophets, Messengers, and
the Imams. The significance of the word is that the Prophets,
Messengers, and Imams command what Allah (SWT) wants, and serve as a
proof against the people they have been sent to; as such, they are
Allah's (SWT) "Proofs" on Earth.] Then Imam (AS) continues...
"He who subscribes to Fatalism (Jabriyyah) is a Kafir (Nonbeliever),
and he who subscribes to Free Will (Qadariyyah) is a Mushrik
(Polytheist)."
"As for the matter between two matters, it is the seeking of the path
that leads to the fulfillment of Allah's (SWT) orders. Allah (SWT) has
given man the ability and freedom to do good (deeds) or not to do good
(deeds); and, Allah (SWT) has given man the ability and freedom to do
evil (deeds) or not to do evil (deeds), then He (SWT) ordered him to
do good (deeds), and prohibited him from doing evil (deeds)."
Such is the great knowledge of the Imams, may Allah (SWT) bless them all.
It is no surprise that even at the age of 14, they are so knowledgeable;
for it only confirms what the Prophet (PBUH&HF) said about them:
"Don't get too far ahead of them, or you'll be destroyed. Nor stay
far behind them, or you'll also be destroyed. And don't try to teach
them, for they are far more knowledgeable than you are."
This tradition is mentioned in: Usd al-Ghabah, by Ibn Athir, v3, p137; al-
Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah by Ibn Hajar, p148; Majma' al-Zawa'id, v9, p163;
Yanabee' al-Mawada, p41; al-Durr al-Manthoor by al-Suyuti, v2, p60; Kanz al-
'Umal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, v1, p168; and `Aqabat al-Anwar, v1, p184.
THE CALIPHATE AND THE QUESTION OF QADA WA QADAR:
The strange thing about the Sunni belief is that while they believe that
EVERYTHING is the Will of Allah (SWT), they stubbornly attach themselves to
the contention that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) left the matter of the Caliphate
(Succession) for them to decide upon.
The Shia believe the exact opposite of what the Sunnis believe with regards
to this issue (i.e., succession). While it is true that the Shia ardently
support the concept of Half-Free Will, they will NOT apply it to the
concept of the Caliphate (Succession).
The Shia believe that the Successor to a ANY Prophet or Messenger is a
matter that ONLY Allah (SWT) decides upon; and they can have NO say in the
matter. As such, it is the belief of Twelver Shi'ite that al-Imam Ali (AS)
was chosen by Allah (SWT) to succeed the Prophet (PBUH&HF).
Prima Facie (superficially), this appears to be a contradiction on the part
of both parties, but the truth is otherwise.
The Sunnis when they claim that EVERYTHING is the Will of Allah (SWT), they
make Allah (SWT) the ACTUAL EXECUTOR of His (SWT) Will; and they are left
with an IMAGINARY WILL of their own. So it was the Companions (along with
`Umar) that chose Abu Bakr after the death of the Prophet (PBUH&HF); but,
in actuality, they were only executing Allah's (SWT) Will (i.e., the
companions were only instruments used by Allah (SWT) to execute His (SWT)
Will.). That is the Sunnis's interpretation of the events.
The Shia, however, when they assert that Allah (SWT) has given His (SWT)
servants the freedom of choice, they DO NOT contradict themselves by
stating that ONLY Allah (SWT) chooses the Chaliph (Successor). For Allah
(SWT) states in the Quran:
"Thy Lord does create and CHOOSE AS HE PLEASES: NO CHOICE have they
(in the matter)...[28:68]"
"And We made them Imams, guiding (men) by Our command, and We inspired
them to do good deeds, to establish regular prayers, and to give
Zakat; and they constantly served Us (and Us only). [21:73]"
"And We appointed from among them, Imams, giving guidance under Our
command, so long as they persevered with patience and continued to
have faith in Our Signs. [32:24]"
[NOTE: In the above two verses A.Yusuf Ali uses the term "Leaders" instead
of "Imams;" however, the Arabic Quran uses the word IMAMS -- Check for
yourselves.]
"And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain
commands, which he fulfilled: He (Allah) said: I will make thee an
Imam to the people. He (Abraham) pleaded: And also (Imams) from my
offspring! He (Allah) answered: But My Promise is not within the reach
of evil-doers. [2:124]"
So, as we see from the above verses, the matter of Succession (Chaliphate)
is just like that of Prophethood -- People have NO SAY in it. Allah (SWT)
is the One who chose Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, and the rest of the Prophets,
Messengers, and Imams; and there's NOTHING people can do about it. However,
the Free Will component lies in the fact that you AT LIBERTY to believe in
or reject ANY Prophet sent to you, as has happened throughout the history
of mankind (i.e., some people believed, while others rejected the
Prophets.). A true believer will accept Allah's (SWT) orders, and attain
felicity; while a nonbeliever will reject Allah's (SWT) Signs, and suffer
the consequences. Indeed, Allah (SWT) says:
"...whosoever follows My guidance, will not lose his way, nor fall
into misery. But whosoever turns away from My message, verily for him
is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of
Judgment. He will say: O my Lord! Why hast thou raised me up blind,
while I had sight (before)? (Allah) will say: Thus didst thou, when
Our Signs came unto thee, forgot them: so wilt thou, this day, be
forgotten. [20:123-126]"
Now, if we objectively analyze both viewpoints: that of the Sunnis, and
that of the Shia, we will discover that the Sunnis's viewpoint literally
holds Allah responsible (SWT) for EVERYTHING in the Universe, whether it be
good or bad. Whereas, the Shia have clearly vindicated Allah (SWT) from
such impurities, and have proved that EACH Soul shall reap what it has
sown. Which viewpoint is closer to reason? One that blames Allah, THE
Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, or one that makes YOU responsible
for your own actions? I leave the answer for the enlightened reader to
provide.
RESPONSES TO SUNNI BROTHERS:
First, a Sunni brother made the comment that I am accusing ALL Sunni
scholars of being fatalists, when in reality, this is NOT the case. My
response was:
First, I did not say that "ALL" the Sunni scholars are fatalists; rather,
the MAJORITY. Moreover, most of the scholars preaching in the Mosques
share the view of fatalism, and, as such, have contributed to the
corruption of the youths, who are the seeds of the future. It is a
betrayal of the scholarly trust when a SCHOLAR BLINDLY accepts tradition
and what others say. (NOTE: I emphasize the word "scholar" because I am
NOT talking about the layman who CANNOT interpret complex philosophical
issues and sophisticated matters of jurisprudence. But for a scholar, who
is in a position to give "Fatwas -- Religious Opinions," to blindly become
fatalistic is unacceptable in its entirety.) Indeed, Allah (SWT) challenged
the Jews and the Christians by saying: ".....Bring forth your argument
(proof) if ye are telling the truth! [27:64]" As such, it is MANDATORY for
such scholars to provide proof to support their view of fatalism. Keep in
mind that in Islam, the theory of proofs is as follows: If two proofs are
presented, and each proof is strong enough to equal the other proof, they
cancel each other out, and new proofs will be sought. However, if one of
the proofs is stronger than the other, then the stronger proof prevails and
becomes dominant. As far as Free Will vs. Fatalism is concerned, clearly
Free Will, as I presented it, wins hands down.
Note also that this article depicts what the MAINSTREAM Sunnis and what the
MAINSTREAM Shia believe. Undoubtedly, there are Sunni scholars and
individuals who are NOT blind fatalists, and there are Shi'i scholars and
individuals who ARE blind fatalists. Neither group represents MAINSTREAM
thought within either faction.
Second, another Sunni brother stated that I neglected the following verses
in my analysis:
>>>surah 74
>>54. Nay this surely is an admonition:
>>55. Let any who will keep it in remembrance!
>>56. But none will keep it in remembrance except as Allah wills:
He is the Lord of Righteousness and the Lord of Forgiveness.
>>surah 76
>>29. This is an admonition: whosoever will let him take a (straight) Path
to his Lord.
>>30. But ye will not except as Allah wills; for Allah is full of Knowledge
and Wisdom.
>>31. He will admit to His Mercy Whom He will; but the wrongdoers for them
has He prepared a grievous Penalty.
>>surah 57
>>22. No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is recorded in
a decree before We bring it into existence: that is truly easy for Allah:
>>23. In order that ye may not despair over matters that pass you by nor
exult over favors bestowed upon you. For Allah loveth not any
vainglorious boaster
My response was as follows:
With regards to the above verses, and your claim that I am more in favor of
Free Will than Fatalism, thereby neglecting the above verses, I offer the
following:
What Allah (SWT) is saying in the above verses, among others, when He (SWT)
states: "But ye will not except as Allah wills...." is NOT as you
understand it to be. Please remember the following very important sentence:
SOME OF THE WILL OF ALLAH CHENGES BASED ON OUR ACTION. It is not fixed.
This serves as Half-Free Will for the human. It is all the Will of Allah,
but SOME of His Will are modified by Himself. (We do not modify it. He
modifies it based on our actions). Quran gives evidence to this fact:
"Allah removes what He wills, and confirms (what He wills),
and with Him is the Essence of the Book. [13:39]"
Also this:
"Allah does not change the situation of any group of people, unless
they change what is in themselves. [13:11]" ^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^
Also the following two verse in which Allah changed the decision in real
time, base on the weakness appeared to the companions:
8:65 "O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there be of you
twenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be
of you a hundred steadfast they shall overcome a thousand of those
who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are a folk without
intelligence."
8:66 "Now, has Allah lightened your (duty), for He knowes that there
is weakness in you. So if there be of you a steadfast hundred they
shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a thousand
(steadfast) they shall overcome two thousand by permission of
Allah. Allah is with the steadfast. [8:65-66]"
Also look at this:
"But those who do ill deeds and afterward repent and believe lo!
for them, then after that, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. [7:153]"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Note that Allah changes His decision after the action of human (here is
repentance). There are many more verses similar to above (see 16:110,
16:119, etc...)
Allah (SWT) has given you the freedom to act and do whatever you want
WITHIN the CONFINES of your abilities. Now Allah (SWT) can interfere at
ANYTIME to change a matter without any inhibition from ANYONE. As such,
His (SWT) Will to INTERFERE and change a matter prevails over His (SWT)
creation's will. So Allah (SWT) Wills in the sense that He (SWT) ALLOWS an
event to occur, without Him (SWT) stopping it from happening. That is His
(SWT) Will, NOT that He (SWT) forces you to do something, and then punishes
you for it. (Exalted be Allah (SWT) from such an inference
Given that
fact, Allah (SWT) can, for example, intervene to return Palestine to the
Muslims, but He (SWT) doesn't. That DOES NOT mean that Allah (SWT)
approves of having Palestine in the hands of the Jews, but rather Allah
(SWT) has a more sublime wisdom in not interfering.
Now, the obvious question is: Why doesn't Allah (SWT) interfere, for
example, to help the Muslims that are being slaughtered in Bosnia, or
elsewhere?
The answer is as follows: Going back to the Free Will argument, you are
responsible for your acts. If Allah (SWT) interferes to prevent evil from
happening, then who will be held accountable? It is this "Accountability
Principle" that precludes the interference of Allah (SWT) in many (not all)
situations. That DOES NOT mean, however, that Allah (SWT) NEVER intervenes
or that He (SWT) approves of the matter, but rather Allah (SWT) intervenes
only when He (SWT), Himself (SWT), sees a reason to do so, as when He (SWT)
intervened and helped the Prophet Abraham (AS) from the fire of the
nonbelievers, among other examples. Why did Allah (SWT) intervene then?
That's where your faith in Allah's (SWT) wisdom comes into play. Do you
believe in Allah (SWT) to the extent that you trust what He (SWT) does,
EVEN if you don't fully understand it? If yes, then you have answered the
question for yourself. If not, then you have a weak faith which is in need
of some strengthening.
CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, I (myself, not Dr. al-Tijani) realize that many points
presented in this article are NOT easy to comprehend, nor are they meant
for the average person; however, I have deeply suffered from the problem of
Free Will and Fatalism, and my agony throughout that ordeal is virtually
beyond description. As such, I do not wish anybody to suffer as I have.
Let me also assert that my PERSONAL opinion is that Fatalism in Islamic
societies is one of THE MOST damaging ideologies around; it fosters a
COMPLETE paralysis of intellectual and physical exertions, and promotes
decay from within the community. It is a GREAT SHAME that we should
profoundly suffer due to a false ideology. We have been deceived for all
these years (1400 or so), while the Shia have always had the answer to this
perplexing question. It is the irony of life that we mock those who
possess knowledge, while we praise our own ignorance!
Given that, I leave you with the same questions: "Are you realistic when
you claim that Allah (SWT) FORCES you into committing evil, and then
punishes you for it? If Allah (SWT) has created me a Kafir, why then
should I bother and rectify myself? What difference would it make -- I have
already been judged?"
Reference: al-shia.org